Brilliant
by thatblue
Summary: The Doctor is good at helping people see that they are brilliant.
1. Chapter 1

**Deals a tiny bit with suicide but mostly just about the Doctors ability to show people they are important. It's a bit short, not sure if it's worth continuing. Appreciate any thoughts. **

The Doctor had taken to just walking sometimes. In the middle of the night, mostly on Earth, though not always. He hadn't been thinking of anywhere in particular to go tonight, but he had landed in the US. It seemed to be a small town, quiet and the air was cold.

He was lost in thought as he began to go over the bridge, but that changed when he saw the figure sitting on the railing. He approached slowly but steadily, knowing that someone out here in the middle of the night probably wasn't a good thing.

He could see now that it was a woman, well a young woman anyway. Her hair was blond, lit up in the street lights, and she didn't look at him as he drew near. He waited, confirming that she was breathing, but she still said nothing.

"Hello," he spoke softly, not wanting to startle her.

"Hi," she returned by kept her face looking away from him.

"Are you okay?" He had to ask, even if he knew that she wasn't.

"Yes," the answer was quick.

"It's a little late to be out here," he tried, hoping to draw her into a conversation.

"Midnight, yes," she agreed. "But here you are."

He smiled a little to himself. He never failed to notice when someone was observant, and she was quick.

"Right," he agreed. "It's cold."

It wasn't for him, but he could see the way the arm that wasn't holding the rail, was wrapped around her body. She wasn't wearing a jacket, and he knew that she must be feeling the night sharply.

"You're very observant," she offered, though the sarcasm just came out as exhaustion.

"I am," he agreed. "I also noticed that you haven't turned around to look at me once. I could be dangerous you know."

"But you aren't."

"How do you know?"

"Are you dangerous?"

"No," he told her.

"See?"

He couldn't help the smile, "May I join you up there?"

She sighed, and without looking at him still, agreed.

He threw his legs over, sitting near enough to grab her if the need arose, but not enough to make her uncomfortable. They sat in the silence, him trying to think of something to say that would get her off this bridge.

When she finally looked at him, he frowned. Her face was pretty, but her right eye was black, and she had been crying.

"I left in a hurry," she told him, and he realized she was explaining the lack of the coat.

He nodded. "I'm the Doctor," he told her, reaching for his psychic paper, only because he was curious what she would see.

She looked at it carefully, and reached out for it. He let her pull it to her, where the light was better and then she handed it back. "Doctor, huh. Well, Doctor, your paper is blank."

Somehow he wasn't surprised. "Is it, oh I hadn't noticed. So I'm the Doctor, and you are?"

"Shy," she told him, and she managed the smallest of smiles.

"Can I ask you a question, Shy," he gave her a kind smile.

"Are you going to anyway?"

"Yes."

"Then ask away."

"Are you going to jump," he thought he might as well go for the big question.

"No."

He let it settle for a moment before pushing. "Were you?"

She reached up to scratch her face. She looked at him, like she wanted to tell him everything that was making her hurt enough to be on this bridge tonight but she didn't speak.

"Would you like to get something to eat, I'm hungry."

She smiled now, real and wide and it made her eyes seem brighter. She really was beautiful, for a human. And she was smart, clearly, and he hated that anyone would have hurt her, especially enough to make her want to do this.

"I…"

"Please, I hate eating alone," he told her, and it wasn't a lie. He hated to do a lot of things alone.

"Sure," she responded. "There is an all night dinner, just down the road."

"Sounds good," he swung his legs back over, and felt his hearts slow when she did the same.

Once her feet were back on the ground, he pulled off his coat and slid it over her shoulders. Her smile was a bigger thank you than words could have offered. He knew that Shy was much too strong to be here tonight, and that made him want to know what was so big she thought she couldn't face it.


	2. Chapter 2

The Doctor looked at Shy over the top of the table. They had ordered, well he had ordered, she sat sipping her coffee. She noticed his gaze and gave him a smile.

"I hate coffee," she told him.

He smiled back at her, "Good to know. So tell me a little bit about yourself, Shy?"

"Don't forget you are a stranger too," she reminded.

"Okay," he said agreeably. "I'll go first. I'm the Doctor, I travel a lot."

She scratched her face and gave him a serious look. "That was you telling me about yourself?"

He grinned. "My life is a bit more complicated than can be explained."

She sighed, taking another long drink. "Mine too. But I'm Shy, I don't travel a lot. Born here, raised here just like most people in this town. Except Caleb."

"Caleb?"

She looked up at him like she didn't realize she had said it. She shrugged. "Just a guy."

He wouldn't have been the Doctor if he let it go there. "Is Caleb the one that gave you the shiner?"

She shook her head, and he believed her. "I was running, fell. I realize that's what most people say but this time it's true."

He nodded, the waitress had brought the food over, and he reached for his fork. He had ordered extra when Shy hadn't ordered anything, hoping that he could encourage her to eat some, but she didn't even give the food a second glance.

"What were you running from?"

He took a bite of the cheese eggs, and they were quite good. She was looking at him, her eyes a deep green.

"I don't even know you." She was trying to rationalize, people always did when they were about to spill it all. She seemed like it might actually be enough to stop her though, so he encouraged after swallowing his eggs.

"Sure you do, I'm the Doctor," he beamed at her and she seemed to relax. "And you can trust me."

She bit her lip, and her eyes fell to the table and then back up. "Do you believe in aliens?"

He didn't smile, not on the outside. "You know, I think that I do. How about you?"

She shrugged again, "Heard about all that stuff on the news, over in London. But I'm not good at believing in what I can't see."

"But something changed your mind," he asked softly, and she nodded. "What was it Shy?"

He kept eating, not wanting to make her uncomfortable.

Another sigh, he could see that she was weary and he imagined something had been building for a while now. Whatever was weighing her down wasn't just beginning tonight.

"I can help," he spoke softly. "I promise I can help."

She seemed to believe him. "It's Caleb."

"What about Caleb?"

"We were at his place, fighting about something stupid, we have been fighting all the time lately. Anyway, it was just like normal and then…well, he started to glow."

The Doctor looked up at her now, and saw that she didn't look scared. If anything she seemed very calm about the whole thing. "Glow?"

She swallowed and looked down at his food for the first time. He followed her gaze, and reached down plucking up a piece of bacon and handing it to her. "Eat it," he told her, speaking firmly but kindly.

She took it nibbling on it, and he let her have a moment. She needed it. Her boyfriend, well he assumed it was her boyfriend, had started to glow. Her belief system was being forcefully adjusted, that wasn't easy for most people.

But she really didn't seem that bothered. Just thoughtful. "Do you think I'm crazy?"

"No," he told her. "Did he try to hurt you?"

She finished off the strip of bacon and he replaced it without her really taking notice. He nodded to her, and she took a bite. "No, but he said I had to go. Said that he wouldn't be able to control himself once he changed."

"Changed into what?"

"I didn't stay to find out," she told him.

He didn't like the look in her eyes, too far away and a little glossy. Almost as if she was in a trance.

"Shy?"

She didn't look at him, hand falling to the table. He reached across the gap and touched her hand; it was cold even to him. He moved his finger to her pulse, and found that it was slow. Very slow.

"Shy? Talk to me Shy?"

She didn't respond and her eyes were drooping. He flipped the bill, tossed the money down as calmly as he could. The dinner was empty aside from them and their waitress had disappeared to the back. He stood reaching for her, and she fell limp into his arms.

She was light, he suspected she hadn't been eating in a while, which was why he had given her the bacon, and he pulled her to him.

Her body was cold, but she didn't shiver. He looked up again, confirmed that no one was watching and carried her outside into the night.

The TARDIS wasn't far, and the doors opened to him as he approached. He found the med-bay easily, the ship sensing the need and laid her on the table. He reached into his pocket for a stethoscope and listened to her chest.

He held it there, and swallowed hard. He moved it slowly to the right side of her chest and heard the second heartbeat. He pulled the buds from his ear and looked down at her.


	3. Chapter 3

Her second heart was barely beating, which is why he hadn't noticed when he had felt her pulse. He ran over to the machine, turning on the full body scan, his hearts racing. She couldn't be Time Lord…he should have known if she was, right? And if she was how would she have escaped the Time War?

He knew that she couldn't be, but that didn't mean that he didn't hurt a little when the results proved it. She was an Avan, a two hearted species like his had been.

But she was an Avan far from home, so far from home, with no knowledge of who she really was. At least he thought he could explain Caleb now. If she had been sent away from Ava then she would have been sent with a protector. Well, a protector and her chosen one.

One shot at love, was what the Avan people thought, and they chose at birth the partners of their children. No choice, no regard, but to be fair it usually worked out. The children would always be together, from babies until adults.

Shy let out a gasp, but she didn't wake. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying to think of what could be causing this state. He listened to her chest again, the second heart had ceased. He balled his fist, giving her one hard pound over the right side, and listened again. Resilient little things they were, the Avan.

But what could have made her like this? Caleb, he had been glowing, moody judging by the fighting which meant that he was reaching his adult cycle. So that made him and Shy twenty years old. And the trance, well that was his fault. They were apart…when he had started to glow he released a chemical, and that caused a change in her body chemistry.

He had to take her to Caleb, at least for now, but he could mimic the chemical enough to wake her up. He reached for a syringe filling it, and pushing it into her arm. It only took a moment for her to sit up right, eyes bright and wide.

"What happened?" She looked at him and blinked a few times. "Doctor?"

He smiled. "Glad to have you back." He told her, unsure of how to approach the fact that she was not of this world.

She took a deep breath, "My chest feels funny."

He was concerned that the other heart had stopped again, although the injection should have been enough to regulate her body. "Funny how."

She paused to think about it, "Like there is a second beat…there is a second beat."

She looked at him, and again she didn't seem scared. The Avan were very thoughtful people. Slow to rise to an emotion until they felt it was necessary.

"Yeah," he agreed, scratching the back of his head. "Shy, do you remember anything from your past, that might seem odd?"

She shook her head, "My whole life has been a little odd, Doctor. What do you mean?"

"You have parents?"

"Yeah, I was adopted. They never seemed to really like me though."

He nodded. "When did you meet Caleb?"

"About a year ago," she replied, watching him carefully.

Caleb couldn't have been far from her, though it would seem he hadn't made himself known. Possibly, he didn't understand either, just had a need to be near her.

"The glowing," he started. "It's from a chemical reaction in the body; it produces excess energy, which shows up in the form of the glow. It also releases a chemical into the air, completely harmless to humans, but it would affect you."

She swallowed, "I guess second heart knocks me out of the human race then? So what am I? And why don't I know?"

"Those are good questions," he told her honestly. If he had to break the news to any race, he was glad it was one that wasn't easily riled.

"And the answers are?"

"I don't have all of them yet," he admitted. "But my scans show you as a member of the Avan race. Which the glowing confirms."

"Avan," she repeated. "Are they….?"

"Are they what, Shy?"

"Are they good, I mean they aren't like an awful murderous race or anything?"

The Doctor shook his head. "No, they aren't. Not perfect, but no species is really. Good thinkers, make excellent friends."

She nodded. "And Caleb is one too."

"Yes," he agreed. "I'm not sure he knows it…well he may now. I'm not sure if they would have put a time lock in his mind that would share the details when he reached age. Really, I'm surprised they didn't do it for you."

She shrugged.

"Can I look," he asked her. "It may just need triggered."

"I…I guess," her face wore concern.

He smiled, "Just have to touch your head. Easy peasy."

He placed his fingers over her face, reaching into her mind. It was vast, filled with organized and wild thoughts, a mind much like a Time Lord, but the gap would always be too great.

He pushed farther, slowly, feeling her resistance give as he begged, and then he saw it. Just a little spot, tucked away in a corner, and he reached for it. She shuttered as he pulled it forward, and he kept his presence in her mind as it opened, spilling out everything that she needed to know.

When it got a little personal he tried to retreat, but her mental self reached for his hand and he wouldn't leave her to face this alone. It was so much to take in.

At long last it stopped, and she released him and opened her eyes. He swallowed hard.

"Princess," he spoke to her. "We need to find your Prince."


	4. Chapter 4

He didn't know why the Avan princess had been sent to Earth but she was important, very important, and it was now his job to protect her. Not that he wouldn't have done that even if she wasn't a princess, because he would have.

They were parked now, outside of a home and Caleb was inside. The Doctor could tell, the energy readings inside were all over the place. Shy was hesitant, which he could understand, but he knew that they had to be together. At least until he could figure out a better solution if she didn't want to stay with him.

He would try his best to help them work it out. Especially since they were royalty- well she was, he would be by marriage. But no matter who they were he wouldn't make her stay if she didn't want to. Not if being there was the reason she hadn't been eating or sleeping.

"We need to get you inside, princess," the Doctor told her softly.

"Shy," she returned. "I'm not a princess."

He touched her arm gently, "Shy, look at me." She raised her eyes at once. "That's not something you need to worry about right now. But we need to get you near enough to Caleb to stabilize your body chemistry."

"Can't you just give me another injection, Doctor?"

Her voice sounded beaten and much too weary for one so young. If Caleb had caused this, if it went beyond the hormones he couldn't control then he would be having a talk with him. He would have to tell him how to treat a treasure. And Shy was a treasure, princess or not.

He tried a different route, "I'll be right there with you." He wasn't sure if that would be a comfort but she looked relieved.

"You promise?"

There were so many things he couldn't promise her- or anyone for that matter- but this he could. And there was no way he was going to make her face this alone. Everyone deserved a hand to hold. And he could be hers.

"I promise," he told her and reached for her hand.

She took it but he let her take the lead, closing the door behind them. When they reached the front porch the door opened and a young man stepped out.

He was tall, but muscle was clear, and his eyes were a piercing blue and his hair a short brown. He wasn't exactly glowing anymore but the Doctor was able to see the energy still.

"Shy," he took a step towards her, ignoring the Doctor completely.

But Shy held up her empty hand and the Doctor prepared to step in if Caleb didn't stop. But he did, right away. His face drew up into an expression of hurt and worry.

"I'm sorry Shy," he told her still oblivious to the Doctor.

He wasn't shocked. For male Avan's moving into the adult cycle was a rough. It was like going from nothing…at least nothing compared to what was coming…to burning desire in a blip of time. His focus wouldn't be easily drawn from his intended mate.

It was easier for females, but Shy didn't seem to be focused on him at all. She looked up at the Doctor.

He worried that because she had been given the injection she might not feel what she should towards Caleb. That wasn't what should have happened by she seemed very detached.

"I want to go," she told him.

He met her eyes, "We can't. Not yet, but I'm here. Right here."

She inhaled sharply and he could see her resolve.

"Caleb," she spoke to him but though she was clearly trying nothing more came.

"Caleb," the Doctor was tired of waiting. "I think we should all talk. Inside."

Caleb seemed to notice him for the first time. "Who are you?" His tone was bordering on aggression but it was only the hormones. Hardly his fault, though it reminded the Doctor to tread carefully. If Caleb saw him as a rival before he could stabilize he might be looking for a fight.

For a race that really didn't give into emotion they produced some violent ones during this time. He was once told it was like every emotion that could be felt, but all at once with no way to stop them.

"I'm the Doctor," he kept his tone steady. He showed he wasn't afraid but he was being respectful. "Please, inside, let's talk."

He sighed when Caleb gave a tiny nod, and they all walked into the house. He didn't have time to look around, and was led to the living room where there was a large couch and a chair.

Common sense said he should take the chair and let go of Shy's hand but when he tried she shot him a look of panic. He had promised her so he held her back and sat on the couch with her while Caleb sat in the chair.

"Doctor," Caleb was studying him carefully. "I know that name."

"Oh," the Doctor asked him.

"Yes," Caleb nodded. "When my time lock opened, it was in there. We can trust you."

The last part wasn't a question. He had been informed that they could trust the Doctor. The Doctor had spent time with the King and Queen but he wouldn't have thought it would have been enough to mention. Unless…

"What else did it say about me, Caleb?"

"Why are you holding her hand," Caleb interrupted.

The Doctor didn't break his gaze nor did he try to let her go again. "She is scared, Caleb. I'm not trying to take your place."

"Let her go," Caleb growled.

The Doctor looked at Shy whose eyes were wide. He had no idea what Caleb had done, but she was really frightened. On Ava they would have been separated before the cycle…it usually only took a couple of weeks, the only time they would be apart…and when the male calmed they brought they back together.

They had been together while he was changing, and he had scared her.

"I won't unless she wants me to," the Doctor told him. "She's scared." He repeated. "Make her feel better."

Caleb was still glaring but he seemed to be holding on to a shred of normality. His gaze softened when he looked at Shy again.

"Hey, beautiful," he smiled, and the Doctor saw the man underneath.

She didn't speak just eyed him carefully.

"Try," the Doctor told her gently. "Just try, and if you don't want to stay I'll take you away."

Shy looked at him and then nodded.


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm sorry, love," Caleb told her after another pause from Shy. "I love you, I've just been…I'm sorry."

Shy was too quiet the Doctor thought. She was trying, a little, but whatever Caleb had done to her ran deep and she wasn't so easily convinced.

"Talk to him," the Doctor encouraged, still letting her hand rest in his. He would keep his word but he could see the worry written across Caleb's face and knew how deep his love would run.

If she walked away from him, he would hurt badly. He would lose his place in the line to the throne but more importantly he would lose his only chance at love, because if he returned to Ava there would be no one else for him.

"I want to go," Shy said, but she was looking at Caleb not the Doctor. "Can we go home?"

A look of relief fell over Caleb's face. He nodded at her and then looked at the Doctor.

"What did the time lock say about me, Caleb?" The Doctor asked, suspecting that he was about to give the two royals a ride home.

"That you had a way to get us home, now that it was safe."

The Doctor nodded and then looked down at Shy and he could see the storm of emotions in her eyes.

"Do you want that Shy? Are you ready to go home, because you are a Princess and they will expect you to be that when you get back?"

She swallowed thickly, "I…but I'm just me, Doctor. I haven't done anything here, how can I be anything there?"

He smiled kindly at her, so young and lost, but she would do fine. She was brilliant, he knew it, and she just needed the time and a little help to see it.

"They will help, and you are just you, Shy, but that's why you are going to be fine. Because you are kind and smart and you are going to be great."

She nodded but still looked doubtful.

"I'll help you, love," Caleb said in a whisper that spoke of desperation. Of a love that he was trying so hard not to lose and the Doctor found himself hoping that Shy would accept his apology.

"You won't…" she didn't finish her sentence but it was clear that Caleb knew what she was talking about and he was shaking his head.

"Never again," he vowed with intensity and he slid off his chair and moved to kneel in front of Shy reaching for hands.

The Doctor didn't make her let go but he did loosen his grip in the hopes that she would and when she did he smiled. Caleb took her hands into his and smiled as well.

"I love you more than life, Shy. And I would follow you anywhere and do anything to make you happy. Anything, Shy. Please forgive me, I'm better now, and I can't lose you."

She looked at him, and for the first time since the Doctor had met her she looked fully relaxed. "Let's go home?"

Caleb nodded, and when he turned to the Doctor his face was a mixture of business and the responsibility of a husband, even if he wasn't that quite yet.

"Will you take us, Doctor? Please?"

The Doctor smiled and nodded. "Of course, whenever you are ready."

The Doctor waited while they packed a few things they wanted to take with them, their lives would be cozy back on Ava so they didn't really need anything but they had a few keepsakes.

When they were ready he led them back to the TARDIS and within a few short minutes they were opening the doors to Ava.

Outside there was a large group of people and when the Doctor opened the doors and stepped out there was a loud cheering, that only grew when Caleb and Shy stepped out hand and hand.

"Doctor," the King, stepped out from the crowd and though he was looking at his daughter he reached to pull the Doctor into a tight hug. "Thank you, so much."

The Doctor returned the embrace and then stepped back. "Your highness."

The King had eyes only for Shy in that moment, and though the Doctor had seen in the time lock that they had been sent to Earth for their safety he wasn't sure of the exact reason. But it was clear that they were missed.

"Shy?" The King approached, not raising his arms, cautious of how she might react.

She looked at Caleb and then the Doctor both of whom nodded at her, and then she smiled at the King. "Dad?"

He nodded, "Yes, sweetheart. Oh, I'm so sorry. There is so much to explain but please let me hug you."

She nodded and the King pulled his child into the first hug he had since she was a baby and he held her tightly and spun her around. The Doctor smiled fondly, and he knew that she was going to be fine. She was loved, and that was the most important thing for her.

Love was how the lost get found.


End file.
